Head to head
Universal Robots UR20 vs Yaskawa Motoman HC20
A specification duel across payload, reach, precision, and footprint, with a plain read on which arm suits which job.
Industrial reach cobot for heavier handling jobs
Higher payload cobot for heavier collaborative tasks
Specification duel
Green marks the stronger figure. Unconfirmed specs are shown but not scored.
The verdict
On paper these two are close, both carry 20 kg and 1750 mm against 1700 mm of reach, near enough that the spec sheet alone will not decide it. They run different controllers, the Universal Robots UR20 on the Control Box and the Yaskawa Motoman HC20 on the YRC1000 / YRC1000micro, so whichever platform your team already programs and stocks parts for is a real tiebreaker. Mounting options differ: the Universal Robots UR20 lists Floor, Wall, Ceiling, and Any angle / tilted, and the Yaskawa Motoman HC20 lists Floor, Wall, and Ceiling. Both are aimed at collaborative assembly and machine tending, with the Universal Robots UR20 stretching to palletizing.
Choose this one when
Job fit first, then the controller and cell constraints that decide which arm you can actually install.
Choose the Universal Robots UR20 when
- Long reach for a collaborative robot
- Higher payload than classic e-Series models
- Familiar UR programming for existing UR users
- Slimmer joint design improves access in tight cells
Watch for
- Larger footprint than UR's smaller cobots
- Newer platform with a shorter installed base track record
Choose the Yaskawa Motoman HC20 when
- Higher payload than most collaborative robots
- Full size industrial reach in a cobot form factor
- Washdown rated for light industrial environments
- Power and force limiting
Watch for
- Larger arm mass than lighter cobots in its class
- Collaborative speed limits reduce cycle time versus a caged robot
Controller ecosystem
Programming habits, spare parts, and pendant familiarity often decide the pick when payloads are close.
- Brand
- Universal Robots
- Controller
- Control Box
- Class
- collaborative
Service, spares, and pendant training for the Universal Robots UR20 run through Universal Robots's Control Box stack.
- Brand
- Yaskawa
- Controller
- YRC1000 / YRC1000micro
- Class
- collaborative
Service, spares, and pendant training for the Yaskawa Motoman HC20 run through Yaskawa's YRC1000 / YRC1000micro stack.
These arms run different controllers (Control Box vs YRC1000 / YRC1000micro). If your team already programs one of them, retraining programmers and stocking a second set of spares usually costs more than a small payload or reach advantage on paper.
Mounting, footprint, and mass
How the arm can be oriented in the cell, and how much mass you have to mount.
| Field | Universal Robots UR20 | Yaskawa Motoman HC20 |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting | Floor, Wall, Ceiling, and Any angle / tilted | Floor, Wall, and Ceiling |
| Robot mass | 64 kg | 140 kg |
| Protection (IP) | IP65 | IP67 |
Heavier arms want stiffer bases and more clearance around the swept volume, and they push freight and rigging costs up on the install. IP ratings only cover the section they name, so a wrist-only rating protects the wrist and nothing else; check the body rating separately before you commit the arm to a washdown or dusty cell.
Application fit
Where each arm is aimed, based on the applications listed on its robot page.
Both pages list collaborative assembly, machine tending, and material handling, with the differences below.
Universal Robots UR20 also covers
Yaskawa Motoman HC20 covers
- collaborative assembly
- machine tending
- material handling
Speed and cycle-time planning
Speed is rarely a single datasheet number across brands. Use payload, reach, and class as the planning frame, then confirm cycle time in a path study.
The Universal Robots UR20 is a collaborative arm rated 20 kg at 1750 mm with ±0.1 mm repeatability. The Yaskawa Motoman HC20 is a collaborative arm rated 20 kg at 1700 mm with ±0.05 mm. Class changes how speed shows up in a cell: collaborative arms slow down near people and can speed up in a guarded mode, while industrial arms run at rated speed inside a fence or scanner field. Which arm cycles faster on your part depends on the path, the payload, and the safeguarding, so confirm the takt with a path study before you quote it.
Common questions
- Which has more payload, the Universal Robots UR20 or the Yaskawa Motoman HC20?
- The Universal Robots UR20 and Yaskawa Motoman HC20 match at 20 kg.
- Which reaches farther?
- The Universal Robots UR20 has more reach at 1750 mm versus 1700 mm.
- Which is more precise?
- The Yaskawa Motoman HC20 holds tighter repeatability at ±0.05 mm.
- Should I choose the Universal Robots UR20 or the Yaskawa Motoman HC20?
- Match the pick to the job. The Universal Robots UR20 is a collaborative arm at 20 kg and 1750 mm. The Yaskawa Motoman HC20 is a collaborative arm at 20 kg and 1700 mm.
- Do the Universal Robots UR20 and Yaskawa Motoman HC20 use the same controller?
- No. The Universal Robots UR20 uses Control Box and the Yaskawa Motoman HC20 uses YRC1000 / YRC1000micro.
- How do the IP ratings compare?
- The Universal Robots UR20 is rated IP65. The Yaskawa Motoman HC20 is rated IP67. Check wrist versus body coverage before washdown or dusty cells.